Ambition

I've been praying the Prayer of St. Ephraim as of late...

O Lord and Master of my life

take from me the spirit of sloth
faint-heartedness,
lust of power (Ambition)
and idle talk.

But give rather the spirit of chastity,
humility, patience,
and love to thy servant.

Yea, O Lord and King
grant me to see my own errors
and not to judge my brother;
for Thou art blessed unto the ages of ages. Amen.


I have to admit that at times I become discontent because of ambition, or lust of power. I found this quote today about ambition leading to surrendering prayer.


"Rushing through the ecstasies of ambition, we only
awake when plunged into dread or grief. In darkness, then, we
grope for solace, for meaning, for prayer."

John Garvey (Ed), Modern Spirituality, an Anthology,
London: Darton, Longman and Todd, 1985, p.9.

LORD have mercy, Brian